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Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)

M2 Global Technology – Innovative Ideas and Solutions

With the help of: TMAC

About

M2 Global, based in San Antonio, Texas, is a premier worldwide supplier of microwave products and precision manufacturing services. Through these two business units, M2 Global has been serving the defense, telecommunications, and aerospace industries for over 30 years. The company's products are used in cellular communication systems, satellite up and down links, line-of-sight communications, radar countermeasures, broadcast equipment, and airframe systems. A Department of Defense (DOD) supplier and protégé of Lockheed Martin, M2 Global provides parts for the F-35, F-22, F-16, and C-130 aircraft programs.

The Challenge

As a Department of Defense supplier, M2 Global needed to ensure its systems complied with the DFARS 252.204-7012 measured by NIST 800-171 requirement: Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Information Systems and Organizations. In order for companies to even be considered for government contracts, they need to be certified based on Cyber Security Maturity Model Certification (CMMC – a third party certification) which requires complete adherence to NIST 800-171. NIST 800-171 is comprised of 109 controls in 14 categories ranging from information access controls through systems and information integrity. Although M2 Global had taken many proactive implementation steps, once they were made aware of a grant being offered by the DOD through TMAC, part of the MEP National Network™, M2 Global contracted with TMAC for assistance in becoming NIST 800-171 compliant.
TMAC led us through a step-by-step gap DFARS NIST 800-171 analysis and worked with us to clarify the best solution to close our gaps. Their team has been great resource for M2 Global to access at a local level.
— Doug Carlberg, President / CEO

MEP's Role

TMAC worked with M2 Global to conduct a detailed gap analysis on each of the 109 controls. The goal of this analysis was to identify the organization’s cyber security risks, gauge level of cyber security maturity, identify where best to focus attention and budget, and ultimately improve cyber security. Based on this formal gap analysis, M2 Global created a plan of actions to prioritize projects that will raise the organization’s cyber security awareness and risks. M2 Global was able to handle the various risks in different ways, including training employees, updating policies and procedures and upgrading their IT infrastructure. The gap analysis and the resulting improvements allowed M2 Global to comply with the NIST 800-171 standard, allowing them to contract with governmental entities.

Created November 3, 2020, Updated July 12, 2021